St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-24
Smoking Among Women.

A recent incidental statement. made by
an authority whose opportunity of Obserya-
ton leaves no doubt as to its truthfuIness.
discloses the fact that the practice of smok-
ing among American ladies is becoming
more and more general. The observer,
who is lady of the highest standing in
New York, says: More American women
smoke cigarettes. and often cigars, than
the world wots Of. Only a few mornings
ago sat in the boudoir Of one Of
the best-knOwn women in New York
society, lady whose name is a synonym
for everything that is womanly and re-
fined to the outside world, while she smoked
cigarette after cigarette with the utmost
placidity. During the morning three other
ladies dropped in. and two of them also
produced dainty cigarette-cases and smoked
with entire compoSure, ejecting the curls of
smoke into rings above their heads as grace
fully and perfectly as the most expert
smoker among men could do. l know my
self of scores of our best New York, Boston
and Philadelphia ladies, all my personal
friends, who indulge in smoking, and whose
names, If given to the public, would
cause establishment" 1t is not pleasant to
contemplate such a condition of affairs as
the above gives us excellent reason to be-
lieve exists to-day among our American
women. Men smoke, and why should
not women"' many have asked. Simply
because there are thousand and one
things which, though proper in men, are
entirely unbecoming to women. The asso-
citation of tobacco with refined lady is
disagreeable; it is not so with the most
polished gentleman. 1t is argued by some
that in Spain, France and Turkey
and other European countries the
women all smoke, and in pub
lie; yet these same people making
this assertion have never for themselves
seen the class of women who are addicted
to this use Of tobacco. In like manner we
conduct foreigner to places in our great
cities where women can be found continu-
ally smoking. but could such q visitor re-
turn to his native land and declare in truth
fitness that the American lady smokes
We are aware that in France especially. the
habit OF smoking among women is more
general than in America, but likewise are
many other habits which American mothers
would not care to associate with the lives
of their daughters or their lady friends.
Ii the custom of smoking among American
ladies is becoming prevalent. it is one that
cannot be otherwise than deeply deplored.
No woman-and we weigh each word in
this statement-can be a lady and be ad-
Qlcteu 10 smoking. Inc argument that
men smoke is no plausible reason for women
doing so, and no one possessed of any de-
gree of common sense will advance such
comparison. There are scores and hundreds
of things that can be properly associated
with the more commonplace nature of man,
but when connected with the delicate aud
refined nature of woman they
become widely diSsimilar. Tobacco
was intended for the use of men, and
while it would be infinitely better were it
not used at all, or in much less quantities
than it is at present, the cigar or cigarette
is not unbeeoming to the most perfect gen.
tleman. But when employed by ladies it is
put to use for which it was never in
tended, and a cigar in the mouth of a
woman becomes her as much as would
costly flag of the richest satin texture if
placed on the begrimed mast of one of the
scows that rid our city of their superfuous
mud and filth"